Cradle of Humankind residents fear sinkholes, groundwater contamination from toxic acid mine drainage

The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) has urged people living along the Tweelopies Spruit on Gauteng’s West Rand to stop using water in the interlinked streams, rivers and dams following the spillage of toxic acid mine water.

Last month, the TCTA said the area adjacent to the treatment site of the Western Basin acid mine drainage (AMD) plant had been “significantly affected” by the increased rainfall, which had caused the untreated water to decant into the environment, causing degradation. 

Acid mine drainage is harmful to people, plants and animals because it is acidic and carries atoms that emit radiation and salts in hazardous concentrations. 

The TCTA operates three AMD plants in three mining basins, which are designed to treat the polluted water from old underground gold mines on the Witwatersrand, on behalf of the department of water and sanitation. These are the Western Basin (Randfontein), Eastern Basin (Springs) and Central Basin (Germiston). The Western Basin plant is operated jointly with Sibanye-Stillwater.